Be Your Own Boss Summer Camp

Campers in last week’s Be Your Own Boss (BYOB) summer camp had a great time learning all about business!  This camp is meant to be an introduction to business for students who’ve completed 5^th or 6^th grade.  Throughout their week in camp, young people learned about such topics as marketing, business structure, and simple economics, and they developed their own business plan.

One of the lessons that stood out for both campers and counselors was the slogans and logos lesson.  After trying to identify the logos and slogans of popular businesses, students then had a chance to develop a logo and slogan for their own business.  They did a bit of market research, using the other students in their class as subjects, to determine the effectiveness of their designs.

Camp Director Maura McInerney was particularly impressed with the group’s business plans last week.  “Whether the camper came in with a business idea or came up with his/her idea throughout the week, every camper created a fully-developed business plan by the end.  They learned how to solve problems and think like an entrepreneur.  It was really inspiring to watch!”

The week culminated in a business expo and Shark Tank-style pitch competition.  After pitching their business ideas in small groups, the campers voted on four finalists who pitched their ideas to a panel of experts.  Last week’s judge experts were:

• Amanda Krische – Vice President of Programs, Young Americans Center
• Anna Leer – Program Director, YouthBiz
• Paul Wahmann – Senior Vice President, Brown Brothers Harriman & Co.
• Michael Dworkis – Co-Founder and Partner, Stoic Holdings

The judges were amazed by the imaginative business plans of the finalists.  Included in the final four was Izzy, a CYE-applicant and owner of Charming Wine Charms which has already made a profit selling products at Young Americans Marketplaces, and business partners Jordan and Shirley Mae who developed A&L Inventions to creatively solve problems with home-made solutions.

In the end, the judges awarded a prize to a winner in each of four categories.  But more importantly, every camper left camp at the end of the week armed with new skills to help them succeed in business and leadership!